Bastrop native hits the big screen

Bastrop native George Wilson recently made an appearance as a bank guard in a recent American action comedy film "2 Guns."

Wilson didn't start out with the intention of having an acting career. Growing up in Bastrop, his first chance to be in the spotlight came as drum major in the Morehouse High School band.

He graduated from MHS in 1965 and moved to Michigan, where he worked in a General Motors plant. The work didn't seem to quite suit him and he began spending time at Michigan State University in Lansing, Mich. where an acquaintance was taking classes.

He met a faculty member there who helped him enroll in Lansing Community College. He began studying theater and acting in stage productions. From there, he moved on to acting at Michigan State.

Wilson auditioned for a theater company in Detroit where his first reading with a fellow actor did not go so well.

Five years later, Wilson decided to take his talents to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in an acting workshop. Things did not go as he had planned on the West Coast, either.

Wilson ended up working as a diesel driver in Shreveport for the next 10 years.

Then auditions and acting workshops began to pop up around town and Wilson decided to try again. He landed his first movie role as a detective in the 2007 film "Cleaner."

He worked as an extra on "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," then landed a more sizable role in the 2007 film "The Great Debaters."

The Golden Globe nominated film tells the story of Melvin Tolson, who coached the Wiley College debate team in Marshall, Texas in the 1930s. The film was produced by Oprah Winfrey and directed by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington.

Wilson said his role as the character "Samuel" required him to spend 30 hours in the make-up chair where he was made to appear injured.

Since then, Wilson has landed several parts including most recently "Legend of Love," "2 Guns," "Running Girl" and "The Town That Dreaded Sundown."